Harmonica holder



y 25, 1967 F. A. POCHOBRADSKY 3,332,310

EARMONIGA HOLDER Filed Feb. 7, 1966 United States Patent 3,332,310 HARMONICA HOLDER Frank A. Pochobradsky, Sunnyside, N.Y., assignor to Frank A. Pochobradsky, Leigh A. Elkington, Nathan R. Velazquez, and Louis P. Velasquez, doing business as L. A. Elkington, Bronx, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 525,778 1 Claim. (Cl. 84379) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a harmonica holder such as disclosed in the Elkington Patent 1,734,799.

In the Elkington patent, the size of the harmonica adapted to be supported is limited by the distance between the legs of the inverted U-shaped frame because the harmonica has to seat between said legs on the horizontal portion of the supporting plate which is directly underneath the bight portion of the frame, the vertically disposed bight portion and horizontal portion of the plate being needed to clamp the harmonica in place. This limitation as to size of harmonica adapted to be supported is objectionable as it would be necessary to keep in stock various sized holders for varying sizes of harmonica. In some prior art patents, this objection has been eliminated by adding a second plate extending outwardly of the bight portion of the frame. This is costly.

It is the primary object of the present invention to overcome this objection by offsetting the bight portion of the frame so that it is positioned over one of the long edges of the plate whereby the clamping portion of the frame or the bight is located laterally of the straight portions or legs of the frame permitting end portions of the harmonica to extend outwardly of the ends of the plate so as to accommodate harmonicas of a length longer than the distance between the straight portions of the frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harmonica holder that permits feasible and reliable use of harmonicas of varying sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a harmonica holder that is simple and rugged in construction and highly efiicient for the purposes intended.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a harmonica holder embodying the invention, the same being shown applied to a figure and supporting a large size harmonica in playing position.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view as viewed from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, the harmonica being shown in dash lines.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the holder shown in FIG. 1, the parts being shown substantially in the same relative position.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawing wherein similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts, a harmonica holder embodying the invention is shown in operative position around the neck of a person and supported on the shoulders and chest of such person. A harmonica 11 is shown in supported playing position in the holder.

The holder 10 is of the harness-type and includes a neck embracing yoke 12 and a complemental inverted U-shaped harmonica positioning and supporting frame 14. The yoke 12 is formed from a length of rod stock bent upon itself into U-form and having a curvate bight portion 16 and opposed coplanar spaced parallel legs 18 ter- Patented July 25, 1967 minating in loops 20 which cooperate with similar loops 22 provided at the lower end portions of the depending leg 24 of the U-frame 14. The paired and registering loops 20 and 22 have assembling and hinging bolts 26 extending therethrough with the threaded end portion equipped with wing nuts 28. The U-frame 13 is of a size and height that when the neck yoke 12 is applied in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1, the bight portion 30 is at the approximate elevation shown. Each leg is provided intermediate its ends with perforated discs 32 on outstanding lugs 33, the discs constituting seats for the lowermost coils of the normally tensioned coil springs 34. These coil springs encircle the legs 24 with their lower ends held by the discs 32 and their upper ends urged normally toward the straight bight portion 30.

The clamping means includes the bight portion 30 of frame 14 comprising the upper clamping member and an elongated planar rectangular plate 36 comprising the lower clamping member. Plate 36 is formed with an oblique flange 38 along one long edge thereof, and with holes 40 adjacent the ends of the flat body thereof, permitting the plate to not only span the space between but extend outwardly beyond the legs 24 and to slide thereon. The flange 38 is commensurate in length with the plate 36. In accordance with the invention, the bight portion 30 of frame 14 is offset laterally from the top ends of the legs 24 as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. This positions the bight portion 30 directly over the long edge of the flange 38, and it follows that the bight portion 30 and the long edge of the flange 38 extend outwardly laterally of the legs 24 as seen in FIG. 3. By reason of this construction, the legs 24 constitute abutments and the bight portion 30 and edge of the flange 38 constitute jaws. Accordingly, the bight portion and flange are oriented and coordinate with each other and conformingly and firmly grip the associated portion of the harmonica 11. The bight portion and edge of the flange function to reliably grip and hold harmonicas of varying sizes in the satisfactory usable position illustrated in FIG. 1.

The offset bight portion 30 on frame 14 positioned over the edge of the flange 38 constitutes the significant aspect of the herein disclosed invention. It will be clear that the construction, arrangement and assembly of the improved component parts assure the user that conventional harmonicas such as are classified as small, medium and large can be aptly and reliably supported. For example, the large harmonica 11 shown is of a length greater than the width of the inverted U-shaped frame 14 and the end portions thereof extend beyond the legs 24.

In use, the plate 36 is pressed against the springs 34 until part of the harmonica 12 can be inserted between plate 36 and the bight portion 30 of frame 14. After the parts have been thus adjusted, the springs will cause the plate 36 to properly clamp the harmonica in place so that the operator may play on the harmonica as desired. The yoke 12 and frame 14 are suificiently wide adjacent the center part to permit the yoke 12 to be readily moved over the head and placed in the position shown in FIG. 1. If the head is extra large, the yoke and frame could be sprung outwardly without trouble and then moved to the desired position. When the harmonica is not in use it is swung down out of the Way and the operator is free to play a banjo or other instrument as none of the parts of the holder are in the way of his hands or arms.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A harmonica holder comprising an inverted U-shaped yoke, an inverted U-shaped frame, the terminal ends of the legs thereof being oriented and hingedly joined together, a plate spanning the space between the legs of the U-shaped frame and having end portions projecting outwardly beyond and slidingly mounted on said legs and provided along one long edge thereof with an obliquely disposed flange, the legs of said inverted U-shaped frame constituting abutments, the bight portion of said inverted U-shaped frame being offset laterally from the legs thereof, said bight portion being disposed at right angles relative to the leg and over and in alignment with the free long edge of the flange on said plate, said abutments being disposed in aligned relationship, said bight portion and long edge of the plate flange being disposed in spaced apart parallelism directly above and below each other, each leg being provided on a median portion thereof with a disc-shaped seat, and a coil spring surrounding each leg and engaging the disc-shaped seat at a lower end and cooperable at an upper end with the obliquely disposed flange on the long edge of the plate, the disc-shaped seat being provided with a central opening to receive a leg of the inverted U-shaped frame, wherein the ends of the plate are formed with holes to receive the legs of the inverted U-shaped frame, the bight portion of the U-shaped frame and the free edge of the oblique flange constituting opposed elongated harmonica gripping jaws.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,734,799 11/ 1929 Elkington 84379 2,130,707 9/1938 Sherman 84379 3,172,328 3/1965 Haile 84-379 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. CHARLES M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner. 

